Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
Mandatory Fields
Brown, EG,Creaven, AM
2017
March
Anxiety Stress And Coping
Performance feedback, self-esteem, and cardiovascular adaptation to recurring stressors
Published
()
Optional Fields
Cardiovascular adaptation feedback self-esteem stress cardiovascular reactivity FUTURE BLOOD-PRESSURE ACUTE MENTAL STRESS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS FOLLOW-UP EVALUATIVE THREAT SOCIAL SUPPORT WHITEHALL-II DAILY-LIFE REACTIVITY RESPONSES
30
290
303
Background and Objectives: This study sought to examine the effects of performance feedback and individual differences in self-esteem on cardiovascular habituation to repeat stress exposure.Methods: Sixty-six university students (n=39 female) completed a self-esteem measure and completed a cardiovascular stress-testing protocol involving repeated exposure to a mental arithmetic task. Cardiovascular functioning was sampled across four phases: resting baseline, initial stress exposure, a recovery period, and repeated stress exposure. Participants were randomly assigned to receive fictional positive feedback, negative feedback, or no feedback following the recovery period.Results: Negative feedback was associated with a sensitized blood pressure response to a second exposure of the stress task. Positive feedback was associated with decreased cardiovascular and psychological responses to a second exposure. Self-esteem was also found to predict reactivity and this interacted with the type of feedback received.Conclusions: These findings suggest that negative performance feedback sensitizes cardiovascular reactivity to stress, whereas positive performance feedback increases both cardiovascular and psychological habituation to repeat exposure to stressors. Furthermore, an individual's self-esteem also appears to influence this process.
10.1080/10615806.2016.1269324
Grant Details